During this visit, you should work with one or more groups of students if you haven't already, and observe your teacher doing the same. For this journal entry, describe your teacher's teaching style. What type of relationships with students does he or she nurture in his or her classes? How do students perceive that power is distributed in the classes? Does this vary within or across the different classes the teacher has? Cite examples from your observations to support your inferences. Remember to reflect on what style of teaching you will gravitate toward and the how you want to be perceived by your students.
Observations:
In Chariho there are honors, cp and a lower level, which they call inclusion. The CP classes have a wider spread of abilities inside than either of the extremes from my observations. Mrs. Parson has to not only vary the instruction for the three levels but also within the classes based on IEP’s, 504’s and her observation of the students. For the most part Mrs. Parson tries to foster solid relationships with her students; this was obvious when seniors whom she hasn’t had in class since they were freshman come to visit her between classes and at lunch. Additionally she often has individual comments and caters her response to the student, not simply giving the factory answer every time. As far as management style goes she tries to give each class the same ability and privilege, as much as they will allow her. For example she seldom gets angry with the quick humorous outbursts students may have, as long as they are appropriate and the class can get back on task quickly. However the tasks that the classes have been working on are required by the school and written as a department, so the instruction has been teacher centered for the most part. It seems as though my CT runs her classes in what I would call a middle of the road approach. She never lets the students walk on her, but she seldom if ever dictates the class doctrines, instead teaching somewhere in the middle and altering as the students need.
Reflections:
Although the class titles are homogenous, the abilities from student to student in the class, as well as from class to class certainly do vary. In this sense the classes are a sort of scaffolded heterogeneous mix. I think it is important o realize this in your teaching. No two students are the same, no two classes are the same, so why would you teach them the same way? All people, students included like to feel important, wanted and in charge. Mrs. Parson being lienant when possible as well as allowing student centered discussion is a huge step forward in terms of achieving this goal. I personally agree with most of this. To me laughter is one of the greatest healers humans have. By being able to step back and allow the kids those brief moments, not only are you allowing them to relax and enjoy the moment, but perhaps more importantly you are teaching them life lessons. I would be much stricter with a class that cannot get back on task quickly, as would their boss in the real world. I want students to feel as though they have influence in the outcome of their class, and their learning. At the same time they need to know that there are times when they need to stop and simply listen. This cooperative style I feel is very effective.
Class Topic: Sand Lab Formal Report Grade: 9 Observed by: Chris Liberti
Observations:
In Chariho there are honors, cp and a lower level, which they call inclusion. The CP classes have a wider spread of abilities inside than either of the extremes from my observations. Mrs. Parson has to not only vary the instruction for the three levels but also within the classes based on IEP’s, 504’s and her observation of the students. For the most part Mrs. Parson tries to foster solid relationships with her students; this was obvious when seniors whom she hasn’t had in class since they were freshman come to visit her between classes and at lunch. Additionally she often has individual comments and caters her response to the student, not simply giving the factory answer every time. As far as management style goes she tries to give each class the same ability and privilege, as much as they will allow her. For example she seldom gets angry with the quick humorous outbursts students may have, as long as they are appropriate and the class can get back on task quickly. However the tasks that the classes have been working on are required by the school and written as a department, so the instruction has been teacher centered for the most part. It seems as though my CT runs her classes in what I would call a middle of the road approach. She never lets the students walk on her, but she seldom if ever dictates the class doctrines, instead teaching somewhere in the middle and altering as the students need.Reflections:
Although the class titles are homogenous, the abilities from student to student in the class, as well as from class to class certainly do vary. In this sense the classes are a sort of scaffolded heterogeneous mix. I think it is important o realize this in your teaching. No two students are the same, no two classes are the same, so why would you teach them the same way? All people, students included like to feel important, wanted and in charge. Mrs. Parson being lienant when possible as well as allowing student centered discussion is a huge step forward in terms of achieving this goal. I personally agree with most of this. To me laughter is one of the greatest healers humans have. By being able to step back and allow the kids those brief moments, not only are you allowing them to relax and enjoy the moment, but perhaps more importantly you are teaching them life lessons. I would be much stricter with a class that cannot get back on task quickly, as would their boss in the real world. I want students to feel as though they have influence in the outcome of their class, and their learning. At the same time they need to know that there are times when they need to stop and simply listen. This cooperative style I feel is very effective.Class Topic: Sand Lab Formal Report
Grade: 9
Observed by: Chris Liberti